Large-Scale Watercraft Storage System

ABSTRACT

A watercraft storage system, a ‘wishbone’ or U-shaped cradle, liftable and rotatable by an overhead crane, comprises adjustable air filled hull supports to either side of a boat hull and a keel support toward the stem of the watercraft. The cradle central opening clears a cantilever storage rack support beam assembly allowing the watercraft to be lowered onto or raised from the cantilever storage rack support beam assembly by an overhead traveling crane. To substantially reduce any longitudinal swaying of the cradle and watercraft during raising and lowering, a system of diagonal anti-sway bracing cables that automatically retract and extend is employed. In the preferred embodiment, the cradle is lowered into a water-filled channel within the storage structure to re-float the watercraft. A watercraft to be stored can be brought into the channel which contains alignment means to accurately position the watercraft over the cradle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The field of the invention pertains to large-scale warehouse and boatstorage facilities and, in particular, to the out-of-water storage ofmotor yachts.

For storage and repair, motor yachts of about 30 to 80 feet in lengthare typically hauled from the water in slings suspended from wheeledgantry cranes or in cradles riding on marine railways. Larger yachtsrequire marine railways or dry docks. Smaller yachts utilize trailerstowable behind vehicles—usually trucks.

Powerboats and yachts above about 25 feet in length typically are storedoutdoors on trailers or cradles. On occasion, they are stored on woodenblocks and supports. Small boats below about 20 feet in length are nowoften stored in warehouses on racks. The small boats are placed in, orremoved from, the racks with forklift trucks (“hi-lo's”). Such trucksare inadequate for larger boats and yachts for a variety of reasons.

Since indoor warehousing of a wide variety of other objects up to andincluding the size of automobiles has become common, there has been somedevelopment of more convenient and safer warehousing for small boats.Illustrative of such warehousing is U.S. Pat. No. 6,007,288 wherein thewarehouse is equipped with a traveling overhead crane having aspecialized cradle to lift a boat. The boat racks comprise frameassemblies to support rack assemblies having cantilever beams to supportthe boats. While practical for small boats, such a warehousing system isnot practical for large powerboats and yachts.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,786,942 discloses an overhead traveling crane forcarrying boats in suspended slings. The suspended slings descend from afirst frame that is carried by a second frame in direct suspension fromthe traveling crane. The first frame is movable horizontally and remainswith the stored boat in a rack.

U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2002/0176767 discloses a rotatable forklift thattravels on rails into and out of the storage area to place boats instorage racks. This design allows relatively low warehouses with lowdoors to be used.

Japanese Pat. Pub. No. 2-183055 and No. 2-241891 disclose a relativelylow tower for lifting a boat from the water or a trailer andtransferring the tower and boat to a second lift where the tower andboat are lifted to a storage location in a rack. The boat is supportedon a frame that is moved into, or retrieved from, the storage location.

French Pat. Pub. No. 2552411 discloses an overhead traveling crane witha telescopic retrieval device for lifting boats from underneath anddepositing them in racks for storage.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,190,013 discloses an overhead traveling crane with arotator and a telescopic frame hanging therefrom to lift relativelysmall boats to storage locations. U.S. Pat. No. 6,162,003 discloses ahoneycomb cell-like storage configuration that is particularly directedto sailing yachts with deep keels and substantial draft. The individualboats are supported on individual cradles that, in turn, slide or rollinto individual cells.

While suitable for small watercraft storage, the devices of the priorart are not practical for the storage and retrieval of large poweryachts weighing many tons and worth hundreds of thousands, and sometimesmillions, of dollars.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This application discloses further improvements on the watercraftstorage systems disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,007,288 and InternationalPublication No. WO 2005/073074 A2, which are incorporated herein byreference. In particular, the new improvements are directed to thestorage of boats lying in size and weight between the boats contemplatedin the patent, and publication just above but these improvements are notnecessarily limited thereto.

The new improvements comprise a new U-shaped or “wishbone” cradle thatbetter supports a boat and allows easy placement and retrieval of a boatinto and from a cantilever storage rack. The system as a whole isimproved by a channel within the storage structure fitted with featuresfor alignment of a boat therein to quickly facilitate placement of aboat on a cradle. The cradle provides full support of the keel adjacentthe stern and full support of the hull to either side of the cradlecentral opening and well ahead of the boat center of gravity.

Further new improvements comprise components of the anti-sway cablesystem that diagonally braces the suspended cradle and any boat thereon.The diagonal bracing cables suppress longitudinal sway which must besubstantially prevented as the cradle is raised, lowered, translatedhorizontally, or rotated. Each of the diagonal bracing cables shorten orlengthen as the cradle is raised or lowered while maintaining propertension to prevent sway. The proper tension is provided by a rotatabledrum upon which the cables wind and unwind. The rotatable drum ispreferably controlled by a dynamic brake and motor connected thereto.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the boat storage facility showing a typicallevel of boat storage;

FIG. 2 is a lateral elevation view of the boat storage facility;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal elevation view of the boat storage facilityfrom within the gallery;

FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of the water channel extendingwithin the boat storage facility;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the water channel of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective schematic view of the boat hoisting apparatus;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the new boat cradle for the system;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the boat cradle of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a bow end elevation of the boat cradle of FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a side elevation of the boat cradle of FIG. 7;

FIG. 11 is a plan view of the boat cradle in position to place orretrieve a boat from a storage location;

FIG. 12 is a side elevation of the boat cradle in position just abovethe boat support of a storage location;

FIG. 13 is a bow end elevation of the boat cradle in position just abovethe boat support of the storage location.

FIG. 14 is a plan view showing the location of a boat on the cradle butin position for storage;

FIG. 15 is a side elevation showing the location of a boat on the cradlebut in position for storage;

FIG. 16 is a stern end elevation showing the location of a boat on thecradle but in position for storage;

FIG. 17 is a detail of the cradle cushion supports for the boatamidships;

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the anti-sway bracing system from abovethe traveling overhead crane;

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the anti-sway bracing system from belowthe traveling overhead crane;

FIG. 20 is a close-up perspective view of the cable and pulley systemfrom below the traveling overhead crane;

FIG. 21 is an underneath schematic plan view of the drums, cables andpulleys at the top of the anti-sway bracing system; and

FIG. 22 is an overhead perspective schematic view of the anti-swaybracing cables and pulley system.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Illustrated in FIG. 1 is a plurality of racks 10 to either side of acentral gallery 12 for storage of a plurality of boats 14 all inside asubstantial structure 16. The structure 16 is located adjacent a canal,stream or other body of water whereby a channel 18 can lead into thestructure gallery 12. There may be tie-up locations 20 on walkways 22outside the structure. Beyond the channel 18 are a hull washing anddrying station 24 and a cradle adjusting station 26 both in the gallery12. Within the channel 18 is a cradle and boat raising and loweringlocation 28 in which the boats' position is variable depending on thelength and center-of-gravity of the boat.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, there are four levels of boat storage racks10 totaling 128 racks for boats; however, more or less total racks canbe accommodated by changing the length or height of the structure 16.Supported above the gallery 12 is a traveling overhead crane 30 movablethe length of the structure above the gallery and racks 10. Suspended ona plurality of cables 32 is a specially shaped boat cradle 34 and boat36 that can be lowered into or raised from the channel 18 at location28. Once above the gallery 12 floor 38, a rotator 40 on the travelingcrane 30 allows the cradle 34 and boat 36 to be rotated 90° to eitherside for placement on a rack 10. With the boat 36 and cradle 34 rotated90°, the traveling crane 30 can move longitudinally and laterally to theposition shown in dashed outline 42 and put the cradle and boat inposition for placement on a rack 10.

In FIGS. 4 and 5, the channel 18 is equipped with several importantfeatures for moving a boat and positioning a boat properly in the cradle34. As a boat 36 is towed bow first into the channel 18 by a winch 44and cable 45, the boat keel engages a V-roller 46 and a second V-roller48 mounted on shafts. The ends of the shafts are mounted in blocks that,in turn, allow the shafts to move vertically in tracks 50 on the channelsidewalls. The shafts are covered by floatation cylinders 52 which allowthe V-rollers 46 to remain at the water surface when unengaged and toengage the boat keel from underneath when submerged. Thus, the boatautomatically becomes properly aligned laterally in the channel 18. Theboat 36 can then be lifted by the cradle 34 from the channel 18.

When a boat 36 enters or is retrieved and is raised or lowered into thechannel 18, a movable catwalk 54 is lowered over the channel 18 in themanner of a draw-span and then moved on rails 56 to a location adjacentthe stern of the boat. A pair of equal length lines 58 is attached tothe stern and catwalk 54, as shown, and the catwalk drawn back in thedirection of arrow 60 to remove or insert the boat from or into theraising and lowering location 28.

The channel 18 also includes a cover 62 that may be drawn out to coverthe channel when the structure 16 is otherwise completely closed,thereby sealing off the channel from the interior of the structure. Thechannel cover 62 drum may be as shown or down in the channel 18 tobetter clear winch cable 45 but above the high water level in thechannel.

In FIG. 6, a system of anti-sway cables is depicted. The anti-swaycables 64 diagonally brace the suspended cradle 34 longitudinally toprevent sway as the cradle is raised, lowered, translated horizontally,or rotated. As the vertical cables 32 shorten or lengthen as the cradle34 is raised or lowered, the anti-sway cables 64 must also shorten orlengthen while providing adequate tension to prevent sway. The propertension is provided by a rotatable drum 66 for winding the cables 64 anda dynamic brake and motor connected to the drum. The drum 68 for thelifting cables 32 is also illustrated in dashed outline. The anti-swaycable system is further explained below.

Illustrated in FIGS. 7, 8, 9 and 10 is the boat cradle 34 in detail. Thesides 70 of the cradle 34 are of generally open truss work, and the base72 is U-shaped of open truss work. At the stern end 74 are two lateralframe pieces 76 and 78 that connect the sides 70 together and support akeel block 80 shaped to engage and support the boat keel near the boatstern. Forward of the lateral frame pieces 76 and 78 are pairs ofsupport beams 82 and 84 to provide outboard support to platforms 86 and88. The platforms 86 and 88 are also attached to the sides 70 of thecradle 34. Slideable on top of each platform 86 and 88 are smallerplatforms 90 and 92 hinged together which, in turn, support aircushioning means 94 for contact with the boat hull. As shown, the aircushioning means 94 comprises firehose tubes which have been found to bequite suitable. Inflatable tubes or other inflatable devices may also beused for cushioning. The smaller hinged platforms 90 and 92 can besimply wedged up or down and slid in or out to fit the individual boathull shape.

FIGS. 11, 12, and 13 illustrate the positioning of the cradle 34 inrelation to a rack 10. Each rack 10 comprises a pair of horizontal beams96 and 98 spanning between vertical post beams 100, the latter forming abasic part of the overall structure 16. Centrally located on andsupported by the horizontal beams 96 and 98 is a cantilever beamassembly 102 comprising two parallel horizontal beams 104 and 106 and aplurality of V-shaped cross-members 108. The cross-members 108 areformed or adjustable to match the keel and the hull shape of aparticular boat and are preferably located beneath bulkheads of theboat. Thereby, the boat can be supported in the rack 10 for long periodsof time without warpage or other damage to the hull.

As shown in FIG. 12, the cradle 34 is positioned just above thehorizontal beams 104 and 106 of the cantilever beam assembly 102. TheU-shape of the cradle 34 fits around the cantilever beam assembly 102 asbest shown in FIG. 11. The cradle 34, being suspended on the cables 32,thus can be raised and lowered above and below the cantilever beamassembly 102 without contact between them.

In FIGS. 14, 15 and 16, the outline of a boat 36 has been added toillustrate the position of the boat on the cradle 34 and just above thecantilever beam assembly 102. The boat 36 bow extends well beyond therack 10 and cradle 34; however, the boat beam and center of gravity iswell within the cradle. Lowering the cradle 34 from the position shownrests the boat 36 on the V-shaped cross-members 108, and the cradle canbe backed out sternwise by the overhead crane 30.

For retrieval of a boat 36, the cradle 34 is brought into the cantileverbeam assembly 102 and raised, lifting the boat off the cross-members 108and above the assembly to the position shown. The cradle 34 carrying theboat 36 can then be moved sternwise horizontally to retrieve the boat.

The detail of FIG. 17 illustrates the hinged platform 90 supporting thecushioning means 94 and boat 36 hull. The hinged platform 90 includes ahinge 110 along one side fastened to a horizontal platform 112 which, inturn, slides on platform 86. Thus, cushioning means 94 can be movedhorizontally and rotated upwardly to engage a boat hull as required. Toretain the cushioning means 94 at the correct angle, wedges 114 areplaced or driven into the position shown between platform 90 andplatform 112. Screw jacks or hydraulic lifts might also be used to raiseand lower and to slide platforms 90 and 92.

In FIG. 18, the overhead traveling crane 30 movably supports a rotatorcarriage 120 which can translate in the direction of arrow 122perpendicular to movement 124 of the crane. The rotator carriage 120 inturn supports the rotator 40 shown schematically. The rotator 40includes descending vertical columns 126 which connect to a pulley frame128. All of these components are of very robust steel construction.

The pulley frame 128 supports two separate descending cable systems asalso illustrated in FIG. 19. Vertical lifting cables 32 perform thefunction of raising and lowering the cradle 34. In FIG. 6, the verticalcables are shown as single cables 32 at the “four corners” of a squareor rectangular horizontal pattern. In contrast, in FIGS. 18 and 19, thecorner cables 32 pass through pulleys 130 attached to the cradle 34. Theanti-sway bracing cables 64, however, are single cables also connectedadjacent the “four corners” to the cradle 34. Physically, the upperrails 132 of the cradle 34 provide locations for attachments 134 of thevertical cables 32 and attachments 136 of the diagonal bracing cables64.

Thereabove, the pulley frame 128 supports a plurality of pulleys forboth the vertical cables 32 and the bracing cables 64. The pattern ofpulleys attached to the pulley frame 128 are best shown in FIGS. 20 to22 wherein in FIG. 20 the pulley frame replicates the “four corners”pattern as described for the cradle 34. The vertical cables 32 at eachcorner of the pulley frame 128 attach at 138 and pass over pulleys 140.Adjacent each corner are pulleys 142 over which pass the bracing cables64. Atop the rotator 40 are the drum 68 for the vertical lifting cables32 and the drum 66 for the bracing cables 64.

Referring to FIG. 21, the four cables 32 are horizontally directed frompulleys 140 to pulleys 144 which, in turn, direct the cables upwardly todrum 68. Drum 68 is preferably electric motor powered to raise and lowerthe cradle 34. To provide smooth winding and unwinding of the cable 32,pulleys 144 are movable parallel to the axis of the drum 68 as indicatedby arrows 146, and pulleys 140 are free to swivel as indicated by arrows148.

Referring to FIG. 22 wherein only the bracing cables 64 are shown inaddition to FIG. 21 where vertical lifting cables 32 are also shown, thebracing cables 64 pass horizontally from pulleys 142 around pulleys 150and on to pulleys 152 directly below the drum 66. The pulleys 152 directcables 64 upwardly to drum 66 for winding and unwinding on the drum.Pulleys 152 are movable in a direction parallel to the axis of drum 66,as indicated by arrows 154, to provide smooth winding and unwindingunder a tension load preferably provided by a dynamic electric brake andmotor combination connected to the drum. Dynamic electric brake andmotor combinations are well known in the elevator art, however, in thisapplication the cables 64 act as structural diagonal bracing whichchanges length as required.

1.-9. (canceled)
 10. In a watercraft storage system comprising anoverhead crane, a cradle suspendable by a plurality of vertical cablesdescending from the overhead crane and attached to the cradle forraising and lowering the cradle, the improvement comprising a pluralityof diagonal cables descending from the overhead crane and attached tothe cradle, the diagonal cables capable of changing effective diagonallength with raising or lowering of the cradle.
 11. The watercraftstorage system of claim 10 including tensioning means attached to thediagonal cables.
 12. The watercraft storage system of claim 11 whereinthe tensioning means comprise a rotatable drum on which the diagonalcables wind and unwind in response to raising and lowering of thecradle.
 13. The watercraft storage system of claim 12 wherein the drumis rotatably connected to a dynamic electric brake and motor.
 14. Thewatercraft storage system of claim 10 including a pulley frame suspendedbelow the overhead crane, a plurality of pulleys connected to the pulleyframe, one set of pulleys engaging the vertical cables and a second setof pulleys engaging the diagonal cables.